Ogilvy South Africa’s ‘Bride Armour’ Emerges as a Strong Contender for the 2023 Global Best of the Best Effie Award

Effie South Africa proudly announces that South Africa’s most effective marketing campaign of 2022, ‘Bride Armour’, created by Ogilvy South Africa for Carling Black Label, has been recognised as a Global Grand Contender in the prestigious 2023 Global Best of the Best Effie Awards.

This significant achievement follows the campaign’s Grand Effie win at the 2022 Effie Awards in the Social Good – Brands category. Aimed at tackling intimate partner violence in South Africa, where 1 in 3 women face abuse each year. The campaign reached 38 million people, recorded a 75% increase in women willing to report intimate partner violence and a 44% increase in men committing to stand against intimate partner violence. The campaign also resulted in the highest recorded brand equity scores in it’s history, making Carling Black Label the most powerful beer brand in the country.

Mathe Okaba, ACA CEO for Effie South Africa, expressed pride in the campaign’s global recognition. “The acknowledgment of ‘Bride Armour’ as a contender in the Global Best of the Best Effie Awards highlights the far-reaching impact of Effie-winning campaigns from South Africa on the global stage. This recognition not only underscores the effectiveness and innovation inherent in our industry but also reinforces Effie’s pivotal role in driving excellence locally and exposing our agencies to a global audience. I extend heartfelt congratulations to Ogilvy South Africa and AB InBev Africa for this remarkable achievement, firmly placing South Africa in the spotlight of global marketing effectiveness..”

The Global Best of the Best Effie Awards, as the pinnacle of effectiveness recognition globally, features campaigns that have achieved Gold or Grand Effie-winning status worldwide. ‘Bride Armour’ now competes for the Global Grand Effie in its category, with the chance to be named the single most effective case of the year, the Iridium Effie.

Pete Case, CEO and Creative Chairman at Ogilvy South Africa, emphasised the profound impact of this achievement, stating, “Earning a spot as a contender in the Global Best of the Best Effie Awards is a testament to the transformative power of creativity in driving positive social change. The recognition goes beyond Ogilvy, extending to the entire marketing and communications industry in South Africa. This achievement not only fills us with immense pride as an agency, but serves as a source of national pride. It signifies the excellence and innovation that our industry, and indeed our nation, is capable of achieving on the global stage.”

Neo Makhele, Chief of Strategy at Ogilvy South Africa, adds, “This recognition underscores the profound impact strategic creativity and marketing effectivesness can have on societal issues. An effective behavioral campaign is one with a clear intent to change behaviour. ‘Bride Armour’ not only raised awareness but actively contributed to changing attitudes and behaviour. This campaign and its outcome resonate deeply with Ogilvy’s commitment to crafting impactful initiatives strategically, aligned to drive meaningful change for society, the planet, brand and business performance.”

The Global Grand and Iridium winners will be unveiled during a virtual celebration on December 7, 2023, recognising and celebrating the world’s most effective marketing campaigns.

To view the full list of the Global Best of the Best 2023 Global Grand Contenders, click here.